Administrator of s



UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oFFicE.

GHAS. H. KEY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ADMINISTRATOR OF S. F. BLUNT, DECEASED.

DETACHING BOATS FROM THEIR TACKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,489, dated March 25, 1856.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. KEY, of Baltimore, Maryland, do hereby declare that S. F. BLUNT, deceased, did make a new and useful Invention in Means for Clearing or Detaching Boats from their Tackle when Lowered from on Board Ship into the Y/Vater, of which the following is a true and exact description.

It is well known that numerous accidents have occurred in consequence of the diiiiculty of unhoo-king or clearing the tackle of a boat, at the moment she takes the water, so that she is either stove or swamped by the rolling of the ship, on the swell of the sea. At present, a man has to stand by, at each end of the boat, to clear the tacklehook at the proper time; and if either of them fail, the mischief is done.

The present invention consists in a contrivance, by which the weight of the boat, is made to keep the hook, or its substitute in its place, in such wise, that the moment the boat takes the water, the tackle swings clear of its attachment. If for any reason it is desired that the lboat should not be instantly detached on taking the water, all will be easily kept fast by simply holding in its place, with the hand the movable part of the contrivance hereinafter described. In like manner, the boat is hooked or fastened on again to be hoisted up, by holding in its place the contrivance presently to be described, until the weight of the boat comes fairly upon the tackle.

In lowering a boat with this contrivance, it will of course be prudent to have a painter, or rope of some length attached to the bow of the boat, and held in board of the ship until the proper moment for cast-- ing off, in order that the boat may not be entirely separated from the ship, until all is prepared for her doing so.

To prevent the boat from being detached from its fastenings, by a high sea striking it, when it is not wanted to be lowered, a simple lashing around the movable part of i the contrivance, or other fastening by a pin through the same or otherwise, will keep all the parts fast.

There are several cont-rivances by which the object desired may be accomplished; but all of which will be analogous, so far as they depend for their etliciency on the weight of the boat when she is out of the water. One which is exhibited in the drawing herewith filed as a part hereof, and marked Figure l, will answer the purpose well, and is described as follows, viz:

A represents, of the full size, a strong piece of iro-n, brass or other suitable metal, wit-h an eye at the lower part, the upper being forked, as shown, the prongs, or jaws of the fork being rectangular, and the upper part of one being of the wedge like form represented at B, the angle of the wedge, on the inner side being about thirtyfive degrees. On the straight prong or aw, a piece of iron or brass, of the form shown on the drawing at C, is made to slide freely, being prevented from coming off by the pin at D. The length of the wedge portion of the prong so formed, is about one third of the length of the pro-ng. This iron or brass A, is that which is fastened to the boat, at the head and at the stern, in any suitable manner, through the eye at E.

To the block of the tackle, there is attached, by a shackle bolt, allowing it free motion, a piece of brass or iron, of the form shown in the drawing at F and acting like the outer portion of a common lewis, for raising stone, the angle of the wedge, `being the same as the angle of the prong B. lVhen this is placed between the jaws, and the slider O is raised to the position shown in the drawing, Fig. 1, the inclined planes of the two wedges are brought into contact, and held there, so long as there is any weight on the contrivance, and the boat is thus held suspended. When the weight is removed, the slider falls, t-he wedges separate, and the boat is freed.

Another mode, which would answer the same purpose would be to attach to the hoisting tackle instead of the ordinary hook, an iron bolt with a conical head at one end, and an eye at the other, such as is represented, of full size in X Fig. 5. A plate of half inch iron, planed smooth on one surface, is to be secured under the bow and stern sheets of the boat; with a hole of at least one inch and a quarter in diameter, through which the head of the bolt can freely pass. On

the underneath smooth surfaces of the iron plates are to be placed iron jaws, moving on pivots, which are drawn together by lanyards, and grasp the shank of the bolt above the conical head, when this is pushed down between them, for the boat to be hoisted up. When the weight of the boat comes upon the head of the bolt the lanyards may be let go, as the friction caused thereby will keep the jaws from moving; there being placed between them springs of suiiicient force to throw them quickly apart, when in lowering the boat, she takes the water, and the head of the bolt is relieved of her weight. The bo-lt then slips out, and the boat is freed from the tackle. There may also be lanyards with which to draw the jaws apart, in case the springs should from any cause not act as quickly in separating them as may be desired.

The suggestion of the idea, which may be carried out in many different ways, is sufficient to give to the public, with what has already been described, the use of the present invention.

stantially the same.

Y CHAS. H. KEY, Aclmz'm'sraor of' Simon F. Blunt, deceased.

Vitnesses JAS. L. BARTOL, W FARNANDIS, J r. 

